A woman who authorities identified as 65-year-old Norma DesRoche died after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest at her Highland Street home early Friday morning.

Authorities say Thomas Buttimer, 52, who was staying at the home, fired the fatal shot. He was shot by police shortly thereafter but survived.

Local and state police converged on the house, which is in a quiet, wooded area of South Middleboro, just after midnight Friday after receiving a call about a woman bleeding at 174 Highland St.

The call initially came in as a report that a woman had fallen down steps and was bleeding from the head.

When they arrived, first-responders found the woman bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest, and her husband and another individual performing CPR, according to a press release issued by Bridget Norton Middleton, spokeswoman for Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

Neighborhood residents said they were shocked by the chaos. One Highland Street resident talked about hearing rapid-fire gunshots.

“We heard like 15 gunshots, one right after the other,” said Tyler Lambert, who lives two doors down from the Colonial-style home where the shootings occurred.

“It was powerful enough that it shook this door,” Lambert, 17, said, pointing to his glass front storm door. “It shook the windows. Then all of a sudden there was like 17 cop cars.”

A fire truck, three ambulances and eight local police officers, including Middleboro Police Chief Bruce D. Gates, rushed to the scene, police logs show. Three cruisers from the state police barracks in Middleboro were also sent to the home, which is bordered by woods on all sides and set back about 50 yards down a winding dirt driveway.

After police arrived, a man later identified as Buttimer appeared in the driveway carrying a “long-barrel” firearm and pointed the weapon at police, according to Middleton’s press release.

Police asked the man “several times to drop the weapon” and shot him when he did not comply, the statement said.

Buttimer was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive, the district attorney’s office said. The office did not release any more information about his condition.

As of Friday, Buttimer had been charged with assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm. No arraignment date had been set.

A search of court records at both Brockton and Wareham district courts on Friday showed no past criminal history for Buttimer.

State police were still at the scene at midday Friday. First Assistant District Attorney Frank Middleton arrived Friday morning, but declined to comment on the investigation.

A triangular yellow marker bearing the number 15 was on the lawn in front of the home, where evidence was being collected.

Middleboro police would not comment on the incident Friday, referring all questions to the district attorney’s office. Local police also declined to release the reports, a log of any previous calls to that address, or the 911 recording from the incident, all of which were requested by The Enterprise.